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Startup Confidential

Startup Confidential

Hosted by Dr. James F. Richardson

Episodes

172

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

Who is it For? Founders of CPG start-ups. What is It? Zero B.S. perspective on running your start-up well, understanding the biases of industry stakeholders and getting the industry to work for you, not the other way around. When? Every month. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com If you want to take my founder's Quiz to see if you are ready for exponential growth, please visit : www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/founder_resources and sign up for my e-mail list to download it. Transcripts and an entire episode library are on my podcast site. https://www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/podcast

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 15, 2026Episode 1725 min

Ep. 172 – Stop Recruiting for Executive Presence!

Send us Fan Mail If you’re running a high-growth business, chances are you’ll need to reach out to an executive recruiter at some point. When you do, make sure you watch for this dangerous filter of “executive presence.” Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

August 1, 2026Episode 1717 min

Episode 171 - Every Founder’s Secret To Motivating Employees

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I walk founders through a key difference in perspective that founders and employees have, a difference that never, ever goes away. It does not doom any high-growth business, but you need to accept it to succeed as a leader. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

July 15, 2026Episode 1709 min

Episode 170 - Please Stop Copying Competitors’ Moves! Here’s Why.

Send us Fan Mail Most high-growth consumer brands need to re-position as they scale. The niche positioning that got you into the eight figures will drive you into a ditch. In this episode, I share four advanced tips I once kept behind an online training paywall. Don’t miss this content. In fact, copy the transcript off your screen. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

July 1, 2026Episode 1697 min

Episode 169 - Measuring Marketing Effectiveness The Right Way

Send us Fan Mail Don’t confuse anything I’m about to talk about with Marketing Mix Analytics, an old BigCo statistical machine designed to distinguish which of 15 marketing buckets had the most influence on sales growth in the past year. Just mentioning the topic makes me want to rage at the naivete with which people purchase its promises. Separate video required. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

June 15, 2026Episode 1682 min

Episode 168 - Why Startups Are like Flowers In the Desert...

Send us Fan Mail A humorous exploration of my favorite analogy for the experience of growing a consumer brand, whether or not you make it onto the Skate Ramp. It's harsh out there. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

June 1, 2026Episode 1673 min

Episode167 - Forget the ‘A’ Players; How to Build a Better Team

Send us Fan Mail Consider the unconventional org move as a scrappy founder. This episode briefly explains the mistake many high-growth founders make once they can hire a recruiting firm. Private equity has twisted much of the hiring ecosystem to suit itself, not you. Have a listen and LMK if you agree in the comments! Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

May 15, 2026Episode 16614 min

Episode 166 - Filter Advice Like a Boss - Interview w/Michelle Razavi Pt. 2

Send us Fan Mail This episode is part 2 of my interview with Michelle Razavi of Elavi protein brownies, where we delve deeper into the psychology of consumers who love her products AND the psychology of highly successful founders. The most important point she makes is the power of effective storytelling about your business to all manner of stakeholders, including the end consumer. Check out Michelle's brand - www.elavi.co Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

May 1, 2026Episode 16517 min

Episode 165 - Rising Stars Series - Michelle Razavi of Elavi - Pt. 1

Send us Fan Mail Elavi is the second brand in my Rising Stars Series. Michelle Razavi, Founder and CEO of Elavi Protein Brownies, joins for this two-part series. She tells the story of how she repeatedly adjusted their product mix to make their mission of clean, allergen-free protein take off. She had to kill off the original product line to keep focused on what was growing, which is never easy for new founders. In this episode, Michelle also makes a compelling case for a fitness background as a CPG founder. Can you guess why? Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

April 15, 2026Episode 1649 min

Episode 164 - The Seven Traits of Skate Ramp Founders

Send us Fan Mail In the final chapter of Ramping Your Brand, I walk readers through the crucial transformation every new founder must go through - Operator to Strategist to Leader. In some cases, this has happened in a matter of years, or the culture will probably break, bogging everyone down in slow or chaotic decisions. This episode explains the personal traits founders need to cultivate in order to accomplish this transition. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

April 1, 2026Episode 16310 min

Episode 163 - The Benchmark of Benchmarks

Send us Fan Mail The most efficient Skate Ramp brands earn large amounts of money in small geographies. In this episode I explain how to measure this and why it’s so important to set such a high standard for an undercapitalized business early on. You have to listen to learn the benchmark. This is contained in my book, deliberately. Sort of. Your Host: Dr. James F. Richardson of Premium Growth Solutions, LLC www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com Please send feedback on this or other episodes to: admin@premiumgrowthsolutions.com

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